Explore Lawshe
After a year and a half, the newly renovated Lawshe Memorial Museum is open!
New exhibits include Pioneering Black Families of Dakota County, Agriculture: The Foundation of Dakota County, the Diaries of Jane Doe: Women's Healthcare in Dakota County, World War I, Hastings Needlework, Women's Suffrage, Old Town Up Close, the history of Lockheed Martin and predecessor companies, as well as highlighted artifacts from the South St. Paul Stockyards.
THE ARTIFACTS IN OLD TOWN ARE BEING RE-CATALOGED THANKS TO A LEGACY AMENDMENT GRANT.
RESEARCH LIBRARY:
We have extensive resources to help you with your genealogy, local city and township histories, and land research. Our collection includes:
- Books, magazines, and documents on Minnesota, Dakota County, and local history.
- Microfilm of newspapers dating back to the 1850s
- Federal and State census data from 1849 to 1940
- Cemetery and obituary records
- Naturalization records for County citizens
- Catholic church records
- Paper files on city and township history
- Plat maps showing ownership from 1879 to the present
- Information regarding sites on the National Register of Historic Places
- Over 300 oral history tapes
- Over 10,000 historical photographs
- Telephone books and city directories
- Records from Grand Army of the Republic Posts 47 and 48
- Henry Sibley's papers and a portion of Ignatius Donnelly's papers
- 1918 alien registration forms
Our research staff and volunteers are available to assist you! Research assistance is FREE to our members. A donation of at least $15 per half hour is suggested for non-members.
Contact and Hours
Following the guidelines from the CDC and MDH, face coverings are recommended for visitors that are not fully vaccinated and social distancing is strongly encouraged.
Phone: 651-552-7548
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The newly renovated Museum is now open!
Wednesday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Lawshe Memorial Museum
130 3rd Avenue North
South St. Paul, MN 55075
Parking & Directions
Parking at the Lawshe Memorial Museum
- There are parking spaces in the two lots on either side of the building (enter off 3rd Avenue North)
- There is limited street parking in front of the building, but additional on-street parking within two blocks of the site (try 2nd Street N and Marie Avenue)
- Buses can use the bump out in front of the building for safe drop-off of students. They can remain parked in the bump out, or park on a side street (try 2nd Street N and Marie Avenue), or in front of the South St. Paul Public Library on 3rd Avenue N
